Health-related Quality of Life in Women with Breast Cancer: a Literature-based Review of Psychometric Properties of Breast Cancer-specific Measures

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women in the world. Health-relatedquality of life (HRQL) at treatment endpoint in cancer clinical trials is widely considered to be increasinglyimportant. The aim of this review was to provide a literature-based assessment of the validity, reliability andresponsiveness of breast cancer-specific HRQL instruments in women breast cancer patients. Materials and<br/><b>Methods</b>: The databases consulted were Medline, PubMed, and Embase. The inclusion criteria required studiesto: (1) involve use of HRQL measures; (2) cover women with breast cancer under standard treatment (surgery,radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy); (3) involve the validity, reliability,or responsiveness of HRQL; (4) deal with validation of breast cancer-specific HRQL instruments. <br/><b>Results</b>: Atotal of 16 studies were identified through the literature search that met the 4 inclusion criteria. Some seveninstruments were assessed among these 16 studies: EORTC QLQ-BR23, FACT-B, FACT-ES, HFRDIS, LSQ-32, QLICP-BR, and SLDS-BC. EORTC QLQ-BR23, FACT-B, LSQ-32, QLICP-BR, and SLDS-BC are moregeneral breast cancer-specific HRQL instruments. FACT-EB is the endocrine subscale combined with FACT-Bin order to measure the side effects and putative benefits of hormonal treatment administered in breast cancerpatients. HFRDIS is the HRQL measure focusing on hot flash concerns. <br/><b>Conclusions</b>: This paper provides anoverall understanding on the currently available breast cancer-specific HRQL instruments in women breastcancer patients.